Air pollution in Thailand is serious: Bangkok Airways suspends flights and calls for people to jointly control the blue sky

Recently, the problem of air pollution in Thailand has once again caused widespread concern. Bangkok Airways announced that it would suspend flights between the capital Bangkok and Mae Hong Shun province in northern Thailand for more than a month due to poor visibility caused by air pollution. Behind this decision, Thailand's serious lack of environmental protection and air quality management, but also reflects the deep-seated contradictions between agricultural activities and urbanization process.

Smoke from farmers burning crop residues, along with exhaust from cars and factories, is a major source of air pollution in Bangkok and other Thai cities. This situation did not develop overnight, but the result of long-term accumulation. According to Thai government data, 28 provinces in the north and northeast of Thailand, including picturesque Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, the concentration of fine particulate matter PM2.5 has exceeded Thailand's safe level. In the face of such severe air pollution, the authorities have advised local residents to wear masks, reduce outdoor activities and work from home as much as possible, but these emergency measures are apparently only a palliative.

Bangkok Airways' suspension of flights to and from Mae Hong Shun Province is undoubtedly a direct response to the current deterioration in air quality. The airport authority of Mae Hong Soon, a popular backpacker stop, announced on Facebook last week that it would suspend flights from March 15 to April 20. The decision not only affected the normal operation of the tourism industry, but also exposed Thailand's weakness and passivity in dealing with air pollution. Employees at Bangkok Airways said they had experienced the same problem last year when the smog was so bad. Which begs the question, why is a similar situation still happening a year later? Have the Thai government and relevant agencies taken effective measures to prevent this situation from recurring?

The problem of air pollution does not exist in isolation, it is closely related to all aspects of social and economic activities. Farmers burn crop residues, partly to quickly dispose of field waste, but at the expense of air quality. Although the Thai government has banned the burning of crop residues, or face prosecution in court, it is unclear whether the ban will be effectively enforced. Today, with the increasing integration of agricultural activities and urbanization, how to balance the relationship between agricultural production and environmental protection has become an urgent problem to be solved.

At the same time, exhaust emissions from cars and factories are also important sources of air pollution. With the rapid development of Thailand's economy and the acceleration of urbanization, the number of cars has increased sharply, and industrial emissions are also increasing. However, these economic activities have been accompanied by a continuous deterioration in air quality. Has the Thai government fully considered the importance of environmental protection while promoting economic development? Are effective measures being taken to reduce the impact of vehicle and industrial emissions on air quality?

It is worth noting that air pollution not only affects human health, but also causes serious damage to the ecological environment. Suspended particulates such as PM2.5 can penetrate deep into the lungs and even the bloodstream, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, air pollution will affect the photosynthesis of plants and destroy the ecological balance. The concentration of PM2.5 in Mae Hong Shun was 7.9 times higher than recommended by the World Health Organization, according to IQ Air, a Swiss-based air quality technology company. This data is not only shocking, but also sounds the alarm of environmental protection.

Faced with such a severe air pollution situation, the Thai government and relevant agencies must take more active and effective measures to deal with it. First, supervision and law enforcement on farmers burning crop residues should be strengthened to ensure that the ban is effectively enforced. At the same time, scientific field waste treatment methods should be promoted to guide farmers to adopt environmentally friendly production methods. Second, the regulation of automobile and industrial emissions should be strengthened, and the use of clean energy and the research and development of energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies should be promoted. In addition, the construction of air quality monitoring and early warning systems should be strengthened to improve the ability to cope with air pollution.

However, tackling air pollution cannot be accomplished overnight and requires the joint participation and efforts of the government, enterprises and the public. The government should play a leading role in formulating and enforcing strict environmental regulations and policies. Enterprises should enhance the awareness of environmental protection and adopt clean production technology and management methods; The public should improve their environmental literacy and actively participate in environmental protection actions. Only by forming an environmental protection pattern with the participation of the whole society can the air pollution problem be fundamentally solved.

Looking back on the incident of Bangkok Airways suspending flights to and from Mae Hong Shun Province, it is not only a microcosm of Thailand's air pollution problem, but also a question of the environmental responsibility of the government and relevant agencies. Faced with the increasingly severe air pollution situation, the Thai government and relevant agencies must deeply reflect and take effective measures to deal with it. Otherwise, similar incidents will continue to occur, posing a greater threat to social and economic development and people's health.

In short, air pollution has become a stumbling block in Thailand's socio-economic development. Only when governments, businesses and the public work together and act together can we break this dilemma and achieve sustainable development. We hope that the Thai government can take more active and effective measures to deal with air pollution and create a more livable and healthy living environment for the Thai people. At the same time, we also call on the general public to raise environmental awareness, actively participate in environmental protection actions, and jointly protect our blue sky and green space.